The element of surprise
by Copycxt
Summary: Surprise was always a big factor in any teenagers life. Surprise is waking up with pink hair, surprise is waking up with a cold, surprise is waking up with super powers and a wanted sign above your head. Join seven teens as they are plunged into a new world plagued with evil and darkness. Pairings: check bio.
1. Chapter 1

_[A/N]: slightly different story line from Young Justice. First chapter will be about describing the families, friendships, __**lives**__ of the soon-to-be team. I'm looking for a beta, PM me if interested— I've never had one before :)_

_disclaimer: this story is inspired by DC comics cartoon. I own nil._

_The element of surprise_

_Chapter one: Today is the day._

_8:00 am, Central City._

Wally West cursed loudly under his breath as he ran— at an oddly slow pace— through the many empty corridors of Central City High. His school bag flopped uselessly on his back and his sneakers squeaked loudly with each one of his footfalls.

He passed several numbered doors filled with squawking students and teachers, at one point he had thought he had passed his own class but quickly eliminated that thought because _today was the day_.

It was actually to bad that today was the day because for the first time in his life he was late to school! Sure he might have been a slow runner and an even slower walker but he had never, _ever_ been late to school.

He slid to a stop at the end of a long corridor filled with several blue lockers each with a silver lock ensuring security. Wally brushed a hand through his red locks and pushed his glasses further up his nose before he turned down the _science_ hallway.

A rush of excitement washed over him as he walked to classroom _S07_. His breath came out in short puffs and his lips curled into a smile as he opened the classroom door.

As he hypothesised all eyes— teachers, students and _guests_— immediately found him, he apologised to the teacher for the intrusion and found his seat at the back of the room.

Mr Parksons, a rather rounded, sarcastic and bald man, clapped his hands and walked to the front of the classroom.

"Now that Mr West has finally _graced_ us with his presence—" Mr Parksons glared at Wally who bit his cheek in shame whilst the class snickered, the guest at the front of the room merely looked curious, "—we will begin. Please let me introduce Mr Allen, a forensic scientist at Central City Police Department. Mr Allen has volunteered, _oh so kindly_, to _intrigue_ us about his current job. Please show him the utmost respect— that includes you _Hunter_."

A group of boys just in front of Wally laughed as the middle boy, brown haired and fairly bulky, stood up and bowed to the class, sparing a sneering glance at Wally.

Hunter Zolomon and Wally had never got along very well— it might've been the fact that they were polar opposites— Hunter was the star of the track team whilst Wally didn't even bother showing up to support his school, Hunter failed practically all subjects whilst Wally was a whizz, Hunter was popular whilst Wally was considered a dork, Hunter had a caring family whilst Wally.. _Well_, Wally didn't.

Mr Parksons merely rolled his eyes before gesturing for Mr Allen to step forward. Wally had to suppress a squeal as the blonde man stepped forward with a small salute to Mr Parksons— Mr Allen was not famous in any way but Wally _always_ saw him on the news after a robbery, kidnapping or even the occasional murder. Wally admired— though it was slightly weird— the way the man explained his scientific findings to the general public.

Mr Allen cleared his throat, "I'm Barry Allen, I work alongside some of Centrals finest law enforcers and crack some of the coldest cases," he grinned cheekily whilst clapping his hands, "Now, who here loves science?"

Wally's hand flew in the air and his backside left its seat slightly, Mr Parksons rolled his eyes at seeing Wally's reaction an placed his head on the desk— most likely so he could sleep.

Barry Allen grinned at Wally— the only one to have his hand in the air— and nodded, "I think you and me will get on just fine."

**_X_**

_8:00 am, Central City._

Richard Grayson had never be granted permission to go on one of Bruce's many business trips— in fact, Bruce was so paranoid that Richard would be kidnapped or killed that he had never allowed Richard to leave the safety of uptown Gotham.

Richard had packed and re-packed at least hundred times for this three day trip to Central City where his adoptive father would be consulting with a, _possible_, new business partner. Richard wouldn't be doing anything exciting, he'd probably sit beside Bruce the whole time but he doubted anything else would happen. _Anything exciting_.

Richard had nearly cried at one am when he boarded Bruce's private jet plane heading for Central City. At four when they had landed he actually _did_ cry.

Central City was the definition of beauty in Richards eyes— he was in awe of everything. Bruce had seemed, weirdly, less hesitant to let Richard out of his sight. Richard and Bruce actually sat in two different rooms for over an hour!

After his first four hours in Central, Richard had learned several things: Bruce couldn't cook, he had no balance whatsoever and that he should never attempt a cartwheel again.

Richard clutched his slightly bruised arm in his opposite arm, cuddling it against his chest whilst a grimace was plastered on his face—Richard could not at any rate handle pain— he was not looking forward to explaining this to Bruce, luckily enough Bruce was oblivious to his son as he walked into their shared suite.

"—_Carlos, I want Queen to understand that his timing is horrible and that the only way we will be going through with that project is if he pays!_" Bruce growled into the phone but he was in no way scary, Bruce wouldn't hurt a fly!

Richard glanced down at his bruised arm, he didn't want to spoil this trip— _today was the day _he had been looking forward for as long as he could remember— he gestured to Bruce he was going out and left before Bruce could say any different. The wind picked up as he stepped outside the safety of the _Imperials_ lobby.

Richard took in everything as he went by: the busy roads, the smiling pedestrians, the many hotdog stand but the thing he took most notice of were the signs of protest stuck to lamp post and fences, reading: _You call it clean energy, we call it lies!_ Richard raised an eyebrow before he read the slightly smaller print under the attention grabbing line: _What is "Project JL" really? How many more lies will we be told? We want change!_

"What's _Project JL_, I wonder?"

_**X**_

_8:00 am, Central City._

"What's Project JL?" Zatanna Zatara asked her look alike father as they left a very shady looking _magic_ shop.

Giovanni gave his daughter a confused glance before replying in his thick Italian accent, "I haven't any idea, Zatanna. Why would such a question pop into your head?"

Zatanna twirled a finger around a loose ebony lock and puckered her lips slightly, "The man in there kept muttering something about a self-protection spell for _Project JL._"

Giovanni laughed slightly before grabbing his daughters hand as they crossed a road— Zatanna rolled her eyes at this, she was fourteen an still getting her hand held.

"Magic is nothing but an illusion, my dearest." Giovanni explained, "One cannot harness power from within themselves to create a '_spell_', if magic was indeed real than this world would be truly evil,"

"Evil? Magic isn't evil." Zatanna replied as she hopped into her fathers car.

Giovanni shook his head, "Magic is an evil source. Those who wish for magical abilities are greedy therefore they are evil."

Zatanna hiccoughed before replying, "Mum always said—"

Giovanni made a loud and angry noise at the mention of Zatannas mother, he hit the steering wheel with an open hand before turning to Zatanna, "Your mother was not right in the head. I wouldn't going running around telling all your friends things that you're mother told you— magic isn't real, she wasn't some spiritual being and you don't have any magical ability either!"

_Today was the day _Giovanni finally snapped.

Zatannas blue eyes met her lap pretty fast whilst she fought against a build up of tears that clouded her eyes, her mother hadn't been crazy, Zatanna knew it but she nodded in agreement to her father anyway, "Where to next then?"

Giovanni closed his eyes, "A small shop called '_sdrawkcab_' just so I can pick up a few items that you're mum ordered before it happened."

Zatanna closed her eyes and looked out the passenger window, _magic wasn't real _and_ neither was her parents love._

**_X_**

_8:00 am, Central City._

Lawrence "Crusher" Crock and his youngest daughter Artemis Crock were practically twins. They shared the same interests in everything, they looked scarily alike and they were both extremely clumsy.

Artemis loved her father and Lawrence loved his daughter, they're friendship was unbreakable.

_Today was the day_ that they had decided to go for an outing at Central City despite Artemis missing out on a school day— they had left during the night by car just so they'd have the day in the beautiful city. They had sat in the park most of the day playing around with a stray dog that they had come across.

"I wonder who he belonged to," Artemis, a fifteen year old blonde with only a mildly flabby body, inquired to her father who had just come back from buying three vanilla ice creams— one for himself, Artemis and their new friend.

Lawrence shrugged and sat beside his daughter, "I think we should keep him."

Artemis looked slightly affronted as she turned away from the skinny white pup that gobbled down both his and her ice cream, "That would be stealing, dad!"

Lawrence shook his head, making his blonde hair messier than before, "My philosophy on life is: If it doesn't have a master than its free."

Artemis rolled her grey eyes before laughing slightly, "You made that up just then!"

Lawrence snorted before changing the subject, "let's go play some ball?"

Artemis grinned before racing her father to a basketball court filled with old worn out basketballs that the council had supplied for the park awhile back.

Lawrence picked up the most _ball_ looking ball and chucked it to Artemis who barely caught it. Artemis began running toward the basket hop, bouncing the slightly deflated ball, before she tripped over her own foot and fell onto her stomach.

She groaned loudly as her father helped her from the ground, "Let's try again, baby girl."

Artemis picked up the ball and walked to the hop, she aimed the ball before shooting into the air— the ball somehow flew backwards smacking her cheering father in the face.

"I am so _sorry_!" She cried whilst the dog they had looked after for the day yapped loudly, rolling onto its stomach and giving Artemis a good view of the large, pink scar running across his belly.

Lawrence waved a hand wildly in the direction that Artemis stood, "We should practice on your aim."

Artemis couldn't help but laugh.

**_X_**

_8:00 am, Central City._

Conner Kent hated his father— _fathers_ he should say. They were both idiotic and as horrible as each other.

Clark Kent was the man of the house, a full-time reporter and once married to Lois Lane, an ex-coworker. Clark hated Conner because he reminded Clark of a time when Lois was still around.

Lex Luthor was the _other_ man of the house, in charge of his own business and Clarks lover. Lex had been there for Clark when Lois passed away and Clark had become attached. Lex hated Conner with a passion for one reason and one reason _only_ whenever Clark looked at Conner he saw Lois and when he saw Lois he started doubting his love for Lex.

Conner was hardly cared for, he received the occasional five dollars for school lunch but that was about it. Lex and Clark had shoved him in the shed in the backyard and told him to live there— Conner quickly discovered that there were more than a few leaks in the roof of the shed.

_Conner would honestly miss his shed_.

In the early hours of the morning Conner had snuck into his fathers house, stole a suitcase and more than enough money to rent out an apartment until he found a good paying job with his two new items he left for Metropolis' subway station. Once their he had tossed up between travelling four hours extra to Gotham or simply taking the three hour train to Metropolis' next door neighbour: Central City.

In the end he had decided on Central City considering it was slightly safer, much more expensive but definitely safer.

_Today was the day _he had finally escaped his guardians. He grinned at the ground at his train finally came to a stop— he heaved his heavy suitcase of the train but struggled and had to get a hand off a kind old woman.

He walked around the city with his suitcase trailing nosily behind him— no many were in the streets, it was at least eight here on a Monday meaning that most would either be in school or working. He doubted if he even found a place to rent that the house owner would even answer at work, he ended up deciding to spend five dollars on a cheap coffee and toasted cheese sandwich.

He sat on a lonely park bench overlooking Central City High and behind him a large green park with only two _human_ occupants and a dog.

Conner ate in peace... _for around five minutes_.

"You're in my seat," A tiny female voice whispered from behind him, Conner barely heard it and spun around quickly to see a petite, red headed girl standing with her arms folded behind her.

"Excuse me?" He replied looking quite affronted.

The girl licked her lips and sighed, "It's eight o'clock on a Monday, meaning I have to sit here and enjoy my morning tea."

Conner blinked stupidly at the girl, "Why?"

The girl closed her amber eyes and shook her head, "I've been doing this since I was five, _sir_. So please scoot over."

Conner raised an eyebrow before scooting over to the left side of the bench, he watched cautiously as the crazy girl took a seat.

"Thank you," She whispered as she pulled out a pink lunchbox filled with fancy cupcakes and tea sandwiches.

He looked away from her lunch and munched away on his near-cold toasted cheese sandwich. The two are in silence a millimetre of chair separating them.

"I'm Megan." The girl whispered to Conner who raise a dark eyebrow, his blue eyes zoning in on the girl, "In case you were wondering."

Conner cleared his throat and stuck out a hand, "Conner Kent."

Megan nodded and turned away from him after shaking his hand, "Cute name."

Conner blushed slightly.

**_X_**

_8:00 am, Central City._

Kaldur Ahm had only one fear— water. He truly did not know where his fear came from, he had been brought up on the water side, his mother was practically a fish and his father was a marine scientist. He had never even had death experiences with water, his mother had been killed in a car crash on _dry land _and his grandparents died due to a foreign disease.

After Kaldurs mother died his father went haywire, screaming at Kaldur for even the slightest mishap and teaching him manners by means of abuse. He had enough of his fathers abuse at the age of ten and applied for a scholar ship into a famous boarding school known as "_Atlantis_: Home of the sharks."

Kaldur had left his father a note and disappeared into the night after his scholarship came. Kaldur hadn't seen his father for six years, thank the lord.

_Today was the day_ that Kaldur found himself dreading oh so dearly. His schools council had decided to take selected students to Central City to a aquarium filled with _water_. Kaldur could barely _drink_ water without crying.

His best friend, Garth, and his ideal girlfriend, Tula, knew Kaldurs fears and woke him up on the silent school bus just to calm him down slightly.

"We won't let anything happen to you, promise." Tula swore as the bus crossed the border into Central City.

Garth nodded his agreement whilst Kaldur thought about the various forms of water: cold water, hot water, lukewarm water, dirty water, salt water, drinking water.

Tula continued talking to and reassuring Kaldur unaware he wasn't even paying attention to the beauty that was _her_. Garth seemed to notice Kaldurs absent look at sneakily grabbed Kaldurs wrist and squeezed it in support, Kauldur looked deep into Garth eyes and _something_ passed between the two.

**_X_**

_2:50 pm, Central City._

Wally had spent his whole day revising and quoting the words of Barry Allen— who indeed did take a liking to Wally. Barry had spoken about some many fascinating including his theory on what Project JL really was.

"_Project JL, in my eyes, is not some new energy source but instead something much more, how do I put this... _Dangerous_ . I've been doing research of my own and ever since they announced the arrival of JL— _space_ has been going haywire, my theory is that they are trying to harness some sort of futuristic power source, something we can't even imagine in our wildest daydreams, this could be a life changing or life ruining _."

Wally had never thought this deep— or shallow really— into what project JL was. His Aunt Iris, and full-time guardian, was always hammered with questions by him about what Project JL was but she couldn't answer it for she did not know. Since JL had come in few things had truly changed, _sure_ there were a few more bone-rattling storms and _sure_ there had been several unexplained deaths from within S.T.A.R labs but that could be the caused because of anything! Couldn't it?

Wally shook his head wildly to control his thoughts— Barry was _wrong_. The council wouldn't allow such dangerous machines to come into Central. Barry had to be wrong.

Wally shoved his bag on his back and walked out of school slower than usual, dreading the long, lone walk home. The sun that had shine so brightly only hours before was now hidden by thick clouds rolling in fast, Wally sighed loudly.

_Great! A storm, just my luck_, he fixed his glasses that covered his green eyes before he headed off in the direction of his aunts house.

He considered calling the reporter but guessed she'd be at work still or picking up dinner for them. His Aunt didn't have a partner— she'd have the occasional partner but most ended quickly, her always being the one to end it complaining that she was too bored or that she didn't want to end up with a man she didn't love.

Wally walked peacefully for ten minutes before a loud crack of thunder disturbed the peaceful afternoon. Wally cursed loudly as rain started pelting down, his attention so focused on hurrying home that he didn't realise the abnormality of the storm— it wasn't just the lighting that came down with so much force that it left cracks in the ground and it wasn't just the thunder that rumbled so loudly that you could clearly hear a voice yelling "_mine!"_ that made the storm abnormal, it was the fact that the storm seemed attracted to where project JL was hidden.

Wally ran as fast as he could— his street nearing with every step he took. His lips curved into a smile when he reached the beginning of his street but right at that moment a large lighting strike shot down S.T.A.R labs and all within it— including Project JL.

Everything happened within seconds Project JL exploded— surely killing hundreds— the storm grew wilder and screams erupted everywhere _one_ from Wally himself who felt paralysed after a large and _pulsating_ bolt shot him down— the electricity washed over his body like cold water, his body failing him causing him to crumple to the muddy ground, convulsing as the electricity wrapped him in a cocoon. Wally didn't cry but instead stared at the black sky that flickered with odd _red_ lightening. In his current state he could see no abnormality of the storm but instead the _beauty _of it all— if this was the last thing he saw, he wouldn't mind at all.


	2. Chapter 2

_[A/N]: lots of problems in last chapter, I'll find a beta soon! No Conner in this chapter! I hope someone noticed that 'sdrawkcab' backwards is 'backwards'! _

_Rate and review! _

_Giant thanks to: __**Thunderfiredragon**__ for my one review! This chapter is dedicated to you! _

_**Disclaimer: I own nil**_

_The element of surprise _

_Chapter two: needle in a haystack_

_6:49 am, Central City Medical Centre, 3 days after accident. _

Artemis had a splitting headache, her bones all felt dead and her skin tingled strangely. She willed her eyes to open but unlike usual it took awhile.

Once her eyes had indeed opened she took notice of her bland surroundings— white walls, white roof, white door and white curtains— she blinked stupidly before patting her aching legs with her blistered yet bandaged palms.

_Was she in a hospital? _

Her answer was quickly answered as she took note of the beeping heart monitor to her side and the various needles poking into her arms. She gulped loudly before sitting up despite the awful pain it caused, her grey eyes searched around lazily for signs of _people_.

_How did she get in here?_

She bit her lips before deciding to make some noise, hoping a nurse or a doctor would hear. She slammed a fist on the armrest of her bed wincing when pain shot up her arm. Artemis listened closely for the sound of incoming footsteps but heard nothing of the sort. She wondered what would happen if she unstrapped her end of the heart monitor.

The result was quick at least five nurses ran in and a petite female doctor all of whom stopped dead in their tracks when they saw Artemis alive and well.

"Miss Crock?" The blonde doctor asked whilst wiping a strand of her from her face.

Artemis blandly nodded before jumping straight to the point, "What happened to me?"

The doctor sighed before stepping forward and shooing the nurses away, "You don't remember anything?"

Artemis furrowed her eyebrows at looked toward her lap, "I vaguely remember going to the park with my... _Dad!_" She sprang up from her seat ripping a needle from her arm, the pain rocking her body slightly but her eyes stayed planted firmly on the doctor, "Where's my dad?!"

The doctor seemed to focused on getting Artemis to sit down to even answer her question, it took a moment or two for Artemis to finally obey the doctors orders and lay back down with a new needle in her arm.

"First things first," The doctor began, "I'm doctor Lance but you, my dear, may call me Dinah." She pulled out a torch and shone it in Artemis eyes whilst talking, "I've been caring for you for the past three days: you and many, many others were in a serious accident caused by a storm and a unknown power source. You were one of the lucky one gaining few injuries, your father however..."

Artemis leaned forward in her bed and looked expectantly at the woman, "My father?"

"His alive," Dinah clarified and Artemis let a sigh of relief slip past her lips, "He is the only reason _you_ are alive, Artemis."

"_Looks like a storms rolling in," Lawrence sighed as he and Artemis walked down a slightly busy street in Central— the dog they had met at the park had run off after a bird and had never retune to them, "We should probably find somewhere to stay while the storm passes."_

_Artemis nodded her agreement before steering her father into a fancy looking cafe, "Let's eat! I'm starved!" _

_Unfortunately they weren't the only ones thinking the same about the storm, the cafe was filled with business men, women and students. _

_A waitress danced around from table to table, taking orders at every second. She eventually reached Artemis and Lawrence and gave them a tired smile._

_"What can I get y'all?" _

_Artemis looked toward her father who nodded at her, "I'll just have a skinny cappuccino." _

_Lawrence smiled at his daughter, "I'll get a finely grated cheese—"_

_"Oi! Listen up!" A business man shouted, interrupting Lawrence, and pointing to a small TV hung up in the corner of the room._

_Artemis looked toward the glowing screen which seemed I be the only real light or noise in the tiny cafe. A red haired woman on screen— Iris West— spoke loudly and awfully clear despite the howling winds behind her._

_"—local authorities are asking everyone to stay indoors throughout the length of the storm and are urging anyone with problems or fears to call the number on the screen—" Iris pressed a finger to her ear and nodded shortly after, "—I've just received news that there is minor flooding in Keystone city and an evacuation is underway—"_

_"We chose a bad day to come to Central," Lawrence whispered to his slightly fearful daughter._

_"You got that right," a male voice spoke behind them, Lawrence turned and smile at the bulky man, "Vandal Savage at your service."_

_Artemis, Lawrence and Vandal spent the next ten minutes chatting away about the storm and their fears about it— not that any of them had any, _ahem_.._

_A loud howl of wind silenced the cafe but the silence diminished as a woman near the back of the cafe screamed and pointed to the ceiling. Artemis barely got a look at the crumbling ceiling before her father tackled her to the ground, shielding his daughter from the falling ceiling. Artemis screamed loudly along with many others as the pressure of the roof crushed them all._

"My dad shielded me from the roof," Artemis whispered to Dinah who nodded sadly.

"That's how Metropolis and Star city emergency services found you," Dinah replied in an even quieter voice than Artemis, "Only five of you in that cafe survived."

"How— _how_ did everything happen? There was an explosion wasn't there?"

"Project JL,"

"What's project JL?" Artemis inquired curiously.

"Nobody knows for sure and nobody will ever know, every scientist in that building died along with their research."

Artemis closed her eyes as her headache burned with more fury than before, "How am I?"

Dinah smiled and gently pushed Artemis back into a laying position, "Broken wrist, head wound just above the ear and a laceration on your ankle— other than that Artemis you're _barely_ injured."

_Unlike her father_.

**_X_**

_6:58 am, Central City Medical Centre, 3 days after accident_.

Megan Morse felt oddly comfortable under her white, thick, woollen hospital blanket. She had been awake for several days now but the doctors refused to discharge her due to an abnormal spike in brain activity— they claimed that she could be going though something they named '_post-shock'_ from being told that her mother, father and sisters had been killed by the explosion. Megan hadn't be there to help _instead_ trapped in a bomb shelter.

Megan's skin had turned an unusual shade of white and her eyes had turned a crimson colour due to the effects of the many pills she had been taking. Megan's uncle had flew in from a Happy Harbour just to tend to his niece— _ward_, now.

"—I understand if you would like to stay here in Central, I am sure we can find a slightly undamaged apartment to stay in until I can sell my house in Happy Harbour." Megan turned her head to see her uncle staring expectantly at her with a half eaten yoghurt on the table beside him.

"No, I don't want to stay in Happy Harbour." Megan looked at her uneaten hospital breakfast, "too _many_ memories.." She whispered.

Her uncle sighed and placed a hand in her elbow, "I understand. You can start over with me and.. My wife."

Megan's eyes shot open and her muscles went rigid, "Wife?" She hiccoughed, "You're _married!_"

John Morse sighed sadly, "Megan, you're parents didn't exactly encourage you seeing me, they specifically told me to not contact you or your sisters."

Megan folded her arms, "Well since,_ you know_, we haven't spoken in like eight years, is there anything else that's happened in your life that I don't know about?"

John smiled slightly, "Only small things," _I have a son_.

Megan's eyes bugled out of her skull at her uncles words, "You have a son!" John looked quite shocked for a minute.

"I didn't realise I said that aloud," John replied whilst itching the side of his head, _I'm getting old._

Megan laughed slightly at her uncles words before quickly becoming serious again, "how old is this son of yours?"

"Eight," he smiled, "his a real monkey."

Megan smiled, "does he look like you?"

John chuckled, "To the T."

Megan imagined a younger John, bald, a weird greenish tinge to his skin, lean and partially emotionless. She suppressed a shiver at the thought of a younger John, the older one was just fine.

Megan opened her mouth to speak but a nurse walked in hurriedly asking John to leave so she could run some tests, as John left she shut the curtains and asked Megan to strip out of her hospital gown.

As the nurse checked over Megan's skin and redid her bandages, Megan hummed lowly in the back of her throat thinking of that kind Conner boy who had made sure she got to safety before he did.

"_There's only room for one!" A man cried over the howling wind to Megan and Conner, "We can't fit both!"_

_Conner looked at Megan before shoving her towards the man, "You go! I'll find somewhere else to hide!" _

_Megan grabbed the boys hands as he went to turn away, "We can fit both! We've got to try!"_

_The man in the bomb shelter shook his head, "We've only got enough oxygen down here for twenty! We're already at capacity, I'm only takin' one more!" _

_Megan look toward the tall, broad shouldered boy, "You go! I know my way around here!"_

_They had both been exposed in the storm for a while now— their clothes were soaked and a decent sized cut was visible on Megan's forehead from an airborne stick._

_The boy shook his head before giving her the tiniest push toward the man who grabbed Megan by the wrist and pulled her into the safety of the bomb shelter, slamming the door with enough force to make the single light flicker. _

Megan wondered if he had made it through the storm and the explosion, he had been nice an she had him to thank for her life.

_Ew, what is that?_ The nurse suddenly whispered causing Megan to snap at her thoughts and look at the patch of skin the nurse was poking.

Megan's eyes widened as she looked at the dark blue slab of skin just above her knee, "What is that?" She mimicked the nurse.

The nurse shook her head in disbelief, "It feels like— _like_ _spandex_," The nurse whispered running a hand across the patch of weird skin.

"Is this normal?" Megan questioned but the nurse didn't answer.

"I think I'm going to find a doctor— get changed and _stay_ here."

Megan, quite frankly, did as she was told.

_**X**_

_7:07 am, Central City Medical Centre (Intensive care unit), 3 days after accident._

_"Can you hear me, Wally?"_ A hoarse voice whispers in Wally's ear, "_If you can I need you to wake up— please, baby boy_."

Despite the warmth he felt in staying asleep somewhere deep down he knew it was time to awaken from his slumber. He blinked his eyes open after a minute or two of working up the energy, his body ached all over and the tips of his fingers stung unpleasantly.

His eyes darted around the room, noting about six people in there— they must be doctors. Wait, doctors?

_School, Barry Allen, Storm, Explosion, Lightning_. _Lots of lightning. Lots of pain_.

"How am I alive?" Wally croaked out as he slowly went to sit up but found himself pushed down by several hands all at once.

"_Wally!_" A sweet, hoarse female voice sobbed out, "Wally, you're awake!"

"I realised," he groaned before rubbing his eyes, clearing his sight but his sight was quickly blurred again as a pair of glasses were slammed onto his face, "_Whoa_," he whispered before removing the glasses gaining 20/20 vision again, "Looks like I don't need these anymore," he told his aunt Iris who laughed, no questions asked.

"How do you feel?" She crooned, brushing her fingers through his red hair.

"Tired," He replied with a small laugh, "very tired."

"You gotta be kidding kid, you slept three days straight!" A male voice chuckled from the other side of him.

Wally turned with a cheesy grin on his face, "Like you didn't last Christmas."

Jay Garrick patted his belly as he laughed loudly, "Touché, kiddo."

"Are you hungry, Wally?" Joan Garrick asked from her husbands side, "The cafeterias right downstairs, I can grab you something?"

Wally shook his head no despite his groaning stomach, he just went through a near death experience he wanted to see family before stuffing his face.

Jay and Joan were like the grandparents he never had— they were like a third set of parents to him. They were the cliché kind of couple, high school sweethearts, they loved gardening and fed Wally like _crazy_.

"Anyway, what happened?" Wally questioned his aunt Iris who was sporting a thin cut on her cheek.

Wally barely remembered the three others in the room until one of them spoke sharply and emotionlessly.

"_Good to see your alive._" Wally turned his head to see Rudolph West, his biological father.

Wally glared angrily at the two that had disowned him so carelessly, "Not so good to see your alive."

Iris sprung up from her chair, "_Wally!_"

Wally didn't know what was wrong with him but something felt as if it was biting down on his chest, begging him to just explode at his biological parents.

"No, no, Iris, it's alright let him speak." Mary Rudolph, a _fat_, uncaring, red haired woman, spoke up and stood from her seat walking toward the end of Wally's hospital bed.

"Why are _you_ even here?" Wally snapped at his mother who looked slightly ashamed of herself— _slightly_.

"We came to see our son," Rudolph replied, wrapping an arm around his wife's shoulders.

Wally looked around mockingly, "Oh, I don't see your son anywhere."

Mary cocked her head to the side with puckered lips, "I see our son and he looks just like us."

Wally glared more intensely, "_Poor guy._"

Mary sighed before smiling brightly, "We'd like you to come stay with us again!"

Wally couldn't help it— he laughed and couldn't stop, it even got to the point where the sixth visitor began laughing too despite the situation.

Wally looked up at his parents with a smile on his face— a smile on their faces— and tears of joy in his eyes, "Get—" he hiccoughed loudly, "—_fucked_."

"_WALLY!_"

**_X_**

_7:45 am, Central City Medical Centre (secluded ward), 3 days after accident._

"What's your name?"

"Richard Grayson."

"How old are you?"

"Thirteen."

"Current address?"

"Wayne mansion, Gotham."

"Current school?"

"Gotham Academy."

"Richard, can you tell me your last memory?"

"I- I remember running toward my hotel when the storm started getting really bad, when the explosion occurred I was a block away from the hotel. The wave of power caused by the explosion brought me to my knees, I couldn't breathe and- and I couldn't feel, it was like I was an empty shell."

"Do you feel any different from before the accident?"

"Should I?"

"Do you feel as though the accident changed your life in any way?"

"No."

"Do you feel as though the accident—?"

"Are you going to keep referring to the explosion as an accident?"

"Watch your tongue, Master Richard."

"Sorry, Alfred. But this guy is really annoying the shi—"

"Please, do not continue that sentence, Master Grayson."

"Sorry, Alfred."

"May we continue, Richard?"

"We may, Doc."

"Do you have any fears or worries about the _accident_?"

"It wasn't a fuc—"

"Master Richard, _answer_ the question."

"Ugh— whatever. No _doc_."

"Should the _accident_ have been avoided and you had full use of your legs again—?"

"_Okay_ now you're just saying it to piss me off, and no I don't have any fears or worries or anxieties or anything else about the storm. I would just like to see Bruce and continue on with my life! Legs unfixable or _not!_"

"Interesting. Did the _accident_ change—?"

"_That's it!_"

"Get off me kid! _Ouch!_"

"Master Richard, _please_ don't hit the doctor!"

**_X_**

_8:12 am, Central City Medical Centre (waiting room), 3 days after the accident_.

"_Garth!"_ Kaldur called as he rushed into the medical centre, spotting his friend almost instantly, "Garth! Garth, over here!"

Garths head swivelled in the blondes direction, his usually _outstanding_ purple eyes bloodshot and puffy. His black hair was in a bun yet the knots and grease was still clear.

"My friend," Garth greeted Kaldur, a hand slapping the caramel skinned boy on the back, "It's been long."

In fact, it had been three days since Kaldur had seen Garth or Tula, the blast had occurred whilst on one of the aquariums tours. The three— and his fellow peers and many civilians— had been tossed around the aquarium, Kaldur stabbed by a piece of shattered glass. He had been taken and kept at the local high schools gym— where a makeshift hospital had been set up— until his bloody wound had been stitched and slightly healed unfortunately these weren't the only wounds he had received— on each side of his neck three long, deep, parallel scratches had formed caused by Tula's nails as she had hung on for dear life...

"It has." Kaldur confirmed as he moved closer to Garth in the packed hospital, their skinny arms narrowly missing one another, "any news on Tula?"

Garth looked to the ground and sighed sadly, "No word, my friend. Not a single thing in three days."

Kaldur grabbed Garths hand and squeezed it tightly in his own, "She would probably cry just knowing you've been here every single day, you are a true friend."

Garths bloodshot eyes met Kaldurs ice blue ones, "I am so sorry I didn't visit you, I- I was just worried... _For Tula._"

Despite his smile Garths words stung Kaldur in the heart and for reasons he did not understand, he grew jealous of Tula.

"She is lucky to have a friend like you," Kaldur said after a moment, retracting his hand from Garths.

Garth rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, "The thing is Kaldur, I think I'm in—"

Kaldur missed the rest of Garths sentence as a dizzy spell made him fall upon his knees, a burning sensation rippling on his left arm.

"_Kaldur_!" A voice cried out, "_Kaldur, can you hear me?!" _

Kaldur twitched one eye open just enough to see Garths worried face and the black liquid running _up_ his arm branding his skin with an eel like mark.

X

_9:07, Central City (sdrawkcab), 3 days after accident_.

"_Over here!"_ A voice called out in the distance, "_Over here! I think I've got one!_"

Zatanna didn't want to open her eyes— she feared if she did the pain that buzzed around her body would become more extreme— so she kept her eyes closed and listened as the closing in footsteps and soothing voices came closer and closer...

_10:48 pm, Central City Medical Centre (Intensive care unit), 4 days after accident. _

"You need to wake up, Zatanna."

The voice spoke right beside her ear— it was neither soft nor sad, it almost sounded angry. Zatanna was confused, _who would be angry that she was trying to enjoy her sleep? Her dad? Unlikely_.

She kept her eyes closed trying to decipher whose voice continued babbling on about waking up— it was female, it was familiar and it was getting louder.

"_Zatanna Zatara! Wake up this instant!"_

Zatanna eyes snapped open, the whites of her eyes bloodshot and glossy, her throat was dry and her skin slippery with sweat. She looked around the room disappointed all she saw was darkness and slightly frightened she couldn't see a speaker, _had she been dreaming? _

Zatanna barely noted the needle sticking in her arm and the beeping heart monitor o her side, she did note, _however_, the bandage wrapped around her forehead, her sweat increasing in that particular zone.

_She was in a hospital._

_Her father here._

_Her mother definitely wasn't here. _

_Her body aches like crazy._

_And she was tired as shit_.

She closed her eyes not giving one shit that she was stuck in a hospital or reasons she could not remember.

"It's been awhile," the voice spoke startling Zatanna to new lengths.

"_Yloh tihs!_" Zatanna cried out loudly, her blue eyes widening as the ghostly figure of her mother approached slowly.

Her mother looked the same as she did on Te day that she left the world for good (or so Zatanna thought)— her blonde hair was braided back and her red lipstick was slightly smudged, her flowery dress was dirty at the bottom and her sneakers slightly worn.

"Mum?" Zatanna whispered, rubbing her eyes with closed fists just to make sure, "Is that _really_ you?"

She nodded, a smile lining her features, "We haven't much time, my darling."

"But— what?— how?— why?— _how_ is this happening?" Zatanna spluttered, ignoring her mother.

"Zatanna," her mother continued on calmly, "You're in danger."

Zatanna looked at her mother, "No I'm not."

"Yes you are! I haven't much time to explain, so please do as I tell you and be _quiet_," Her mother scolded whilst Zatanna nodded, "The night I died I tried to protect you from your fate, this _accident_, as they're calling it, was planned by those who intend to hurt you and many, many others. Dark times are coming Zatanna and you can't face it alone, your father knows more than he leads on when the time is right ask him what '_Backwards_' is, I imagine he will tell you. _Zatanna_, keep your head low and your talent to yourself."

Zatanna blinked lazily before looking back at her mothers ghost, "how do I know this is real?"

Her mother smiled before taking the star-like pendant of her own necklace and placing it atop the heart monitor.

"When you wake up, this will be here to remind you." Her mother whispered before placing a hand over Zatannas eyes and creating a world of peace for the now sleeping Zatanna, "Fate is a cruel man, my darling, _he took me from you_."

The venom in her voice was partially frightening.


	3. Chapter 3

_Hey! Anyone remember me?_

_Rate and review!_

_Anyone who guesses who Fates new host is earns themselves a gold star and a shoutout!_

_Dedicated to my new Beta __**Thunderfiredragon**__!_

_**Disclaimer: I own zero.**_

_The element of surprise _

_Previously:_

_Zatanna blinked lazily before looking back at her mothers ghost, "how do I know this is real?"_

_Her mother smiled before taking the star-like pendant of her own necklace and placing it atop the heart monitor._

_"When you wake up, this will be here to remind you." Her mother whispered before placing a hand over Zatannas eyes and creating a world of peace for the now sleeping Zatanna, "Fate is a cruel man, my darling, he took me from you."_

_The venom in her voice was partially frightening_.

**_Chapter three: Preparing for the best yet the worst is to come_**

_Unknown time, unknown location_

Fate was a cruel man.

"_Get up, you blithering idiots._"

Several man, covered head to toe in a shimmering green armour, fought their way to their feet from their knees, each man held a weapon of some kind and their expressions resembled that of a scared puppy.

"_Where is it?_"

The men slurred out words of no importance as they tried to take the blame off themselves, the name '_Wotan_' often brought up.

"_Silence_." A cold, cruel voice hissed out, drawing the men's attention back to the man suited up in red who stood before them, "_You—_" the man in red pointed a gloved hand at the largest guard, who gulped pathetically, _"—explain to your master what has happened_."

The man bowed his head and begun to stutter, "My lord, it was a simple matter of miscommunication. The plain of earth wasn't . . . _fit_ for an army without causing alarm so we sent one to retrieve it, My lord, we sent _Wotan_. He believed he could do it quickly and stealthily but the humans they were almost _ready_ for us!"

Fate drummed his fingers against his blood red helmet and hissed loudly, _"Bring Wotan to me!_"

The guards scrambled off without another word to fetch the awaiting Wotan, dressed in the general fashion of green glimmering armour. Wotan wasted no time in rushing to his masters feet and kissing the ground where he stood.

"Forgive me, my lord. For I have failed thee." Wotan whimpered.

"_You have failed me,_" Fate hissed out, his helmet flashing black for several moments, "_left me to crave another day, left me to feed off more of my _innocent_ soldiers_."

Wotan whimpered, "They were prepared. The humans, my lord, they had rigid an explosion, plotted the weapons demise!"

Fate snorted, "_Demise! I think not!_"

Wotan closed his eyes, "I'm afraid so, my lord. I— _I_ watched it dwindle down to nothing but ash."

Fate shook his head and laughed deeply, "_I still feel it, Wotan. Though I no longer hear it's call which means only one thing, Wotan, what is that?"_

"It has found its own host?"

"_Correct, Wotan_."

"A filthy human has _stolen_ your power?" Wotan spat out angrily.

"_One human could not survive such a surge of power._"

"An animal perhaps? Another lord?"

"_No animal and the lords have all been vanquished by myself, no, no— several humans have taken my power. Stolen my power_."

Wotan stared at his masters glowing feet, "What is it you'll have me do?"

"_Find them. Kill them_."

"As you wish."

**_X_**

**12:07 pm, Gotham City Hospital, Seven days after accident**

"_This is truly a miracle. . _."

Several stunned doctors surrounded a raven haired boy as he paced around the room, grinning madly.

"_An act of God,_" A male doctor whispered as his mismatched eyes followed the boy.

"_We must get a sample of your blood!_"

"_How in holy heck have you done this! Drugs, eh, m'boy?_"

"_It must be something to do with his genes! You say your parents were trapeze artist?_"

"_And we thought you'd never walk again! Ha, how you proved us wrong boy!_"

The boy pacing grinned even more so at the last comment; _he never did like assumptions_.

"I'm afraid that Mr. Grayson now has a function to attend and he mustn't be late," A voice with a thick english accent spoke from the door of the hospital ward halting the doctors praise much to the boys dislike.

Mr. Grayson— or Richard as he was more commonly known as— whirled around on his new and improved legs and stared at the moustached man at the door.

"_Alfred!"_ The boy exclaimed happily and bounded toward the greying mans arms, "Alfred, it is so good to see you!"

"Like wise, Master Grayson." The man replied, folding his arms behind his back, "Shall we?"

Richard smiled and grabbed his butlers arm, ignoring the crazed looks from the doctors begging him for samples of his blood and even his urine.

"We shall."

Richard and Alfred left the hospital— passing numerous photographers and journalist on the way to their awaiting limousine.

"How do you feel, Master Richard?" Alfred asked once the two were in the limousine away from flashing cameras.

Richard grimaced as he touched his leg, "They hurt like hell; thanks for getting me out of there..."

Alfred frowned, "It is— as the doctors said— a _miracle_ that you are able to walk, Master Grayson." He cocked his head to the side, "How are you able to walk if the damage _was_ irreparable?"

Richard had been asking himself the same question for the past two days; how? How did this happen overnight? Richard remembered waking up due to a pain in his stomach and the next thing he knew his legs were spasming crazily.

"Maybe it was an act of God?" Richard joked feebly.

Alfred scowled.

**_X_**

**12:10 p.m, Central City (Garrick Household), Seven days after accident**.

"I am not apologising to _them_!" Wally snarled as his Aunt stormed in demanding he ring his biological parents, "I did nothing wrong!"

Iris placed her hands on her hips, "Wally, you were _extremely_ rude and you know it! Not to mention, you embarrassed _us_ in front of Mr. Allen!"

"That's a damn shame!" Wally replied sarcastically as he pushed past his aunt and out of his current bedroom, headed for the kitchen, he was starved.

"Watch your tongue, kiddo!" Iris snapped as she followed him to the pristine kitchen. Jay and Joan had been kind enough to let Iris and Wally stay at their place for a while as the east side of Central— where Iris' home was located— had been destroyed by the blast, "I want you to march over there right now, injured or not, and apologise!"

Wally ignored his aunt, swung the fridge door open and pulled out Joan's infamous homemade chocolate cake and a bag of purple, juicy grapes.

"And then, Mr. West, you will _just happe_n to be running an errand in Mr. Allens area and _just happen _to invite him to an apology dinner! He must think we are psychos! And Wally I would like you to— _Wally, slow down you'll choke!_"

Wally looked from the half-eaten chocolate cake, smothered in chocolate icing and. . . _Grapes_ to his aunt who was gaping in his direction.

"Didn't you _just_ eat lunch?"

Wally shrugged and continued eating the cake, his growling stomach telling him he was hungry despite his Aunts words.

"Are— are you feeling alright?" Iris stammered out, pressing a palm o his forehead and he gulped down more cake.

"_Erh jush knee moh ceke_," Wally mumbled whilst shovelling more cake down his throat.

Iris' eyes widened at the sight of the near finished cake, she couldn't eat a small slice on a good day, "I think I'll call the doctor, this isn't normal—"

"I'm a teenage boy, I'm growing!" Wally moaned as he finished the last crumb from the cake.

"I understand eating two bowls of ice cream for dessert but Wally you just had threes ham sandwiches, a chocolate bar and a whole _goddamn chocolate cake covered in grapes! _"

Wally saw humour in this and laughed, "And?"

Iris rolled her eyes and grabbed her cellphone, "I'm calling Doctor Phillips,"

Wally rolled his eyes and hoped of the stool he was occupying, "Whatever but I'm going to visit Barry and invite him over!"

He walked past Iris slowly but when she turned no one was in sight. . .

**_X_**

**1:08 a.m, Metropolis (Daily Planet), seven days after accident**

Conner Kent had a short temper. Even shorter than it had been before he had run away from his fathers.

"—_you steal mine and Lexs well earned cash and run off to a city that's just waiting to explode! Don't you ever listen to what Lex or I say at dinner!_"

Clarks shouts seemed to be five times louder than usual and was giving Conner a splitting headache. He shut his eyes as his father stomped around the empty Daily Planet building, the light on Clarkson desk the only one on.

_"I had to race down to Central City to collect my stupid ass son who just happened to have nothing wrong with him! Lois and I are so ashamed_—" Clark cut off as he processed what he had just said, "—Lex and I. . . _Lex_."

Conner looked at his father with something hopefully resembling pity and not amusement— amusement that Lex had been forgotten, he was not at all amused that Lois was dead. Just to clarify.

"I loved her laugh," Conner mumbled out, not at all on his own accord, "It was a beautiful laugh."

Clark looked down at his son with something other than hatred. . . _Something_ _completely_ different from hatred.

"She laughed a lot." Clark sighed as he sat down on his work desk, "I loved her laugh too, it was one of the many reasons I fell for her."

Conner closed his blue eyes again and focused hard on her laugh, if he concentrated hard enough he could hear it. . . hear her again.

"Do you miss her?" He ground out, reopening his eyes to find his dad doing the same.

"Every single day." He whispered, "But I have Lex now. . . he is more than enough."

Conner shook his head, "You had something special with her. . . _Dad_."

Clark looked into his sons eyes and had to choke back a sob, Lois would be ashamed of Clark— ashamed that he had forged such a deep wedge between Conner and himself.

**_X_**

**10:47 p.m, Gotham City (Crock household), seven days after accident**

"Is there anything else I can get you, Lawrence?"

Artemis pressed her ear closer to the wall in order to hear her fathers strangled reply.

". . . _Need . . . You . . . To . . . Leave._"

Artemis heard the creak of wheels as her paralysed mother replied, "Of course, my darling."

Artemis removed herself from the wall and darted back into her bed before her mother swung the door open, smiling sadly at Artemis, "You need to sleep, Alice."

_Alice_ such a childish nickname.

"Mum—?"

Paula Crock raised a palm from her lap and closed her dark, narrowed eyes, "He will be fine, sleep is what you both need."

Artemis looked at her dark haired, crippled mother one last time before shutting her eyes and feigning sleep.

_Was it her fault her father was broken?_

**1:44 a.m, Gotham City (Crock Household), eight days after accident. **

Artemis woke up from a searing pain sliding up her spine slowly, she bit down a shout as she tumbled from her bed, nails digging into her back as she pulled and prodded at the skin covering her spine.

'_You stole it, you bitch! You stole what's his! WHATS HIS! HIS!'_

Artemis gasped loudly as the pain rolled up her neck and settled at the top of her skull, she pulled at her hair, pressing the heels of her palms into her eyes. She barley noted that a warm substances was flowing from her nostrils until a metallic taste touched her lips.

She pinched her nose and sobbed quietly into her free hand— what the _fuck_ was happening?

'_HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS! HIS!_'


End file.
